Wrapped In Red
by leoslady4ever
Summary: More than once, she'd prayed that he would notice her secret looks, those long lingering stares across the crowded guild hall and suddenly come sweep her off her feet. But time had inched on, and nothing from her dreams had ever happened. Things had decidedly stayed just the same, with Gajeel so far away both in proximity and emotion. It was time to change that.


_Okay, so I know I should be working on my regular stories, but I heard this song on the radio and instantly was struck with this idea for a story. Needless to say, it wouldn't leave me alone until I wrote it out._

_And so, I give you a Christmas story for my favorite pairing, based on "Wrapped In Red" by Kelly Clarkson._

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><p><strong><em>Hiro Mashima <em>**_owns Fairy Tail, and of course **Kelly Clarkson** owns her song._

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><p><strong>WRAPPED IN RED<strong>

It was time. Far from time if the truth were told, and Lucy made it a special point to always tell the truth, even if it was to herself and only within her own mind. She had standards after all, and in this particular instance, she knew she couldn't wait any longer.

She'd been biding her time for what felt like forever now. It had only been two years in all fairness, but the fact of that precise timeframe was lost on her as she lived through yet another 365 days without the one thing she wanted most in the whole world. And she couldn't blame anyone but herself.

She'd been the one to let this happen, to continue on the way she'd been, always hoping and never making a move. More than once, more than a thousand times it felt like, she'd prayed that he would notice her secret looks, those long lingering stares across the crowded guild hall and suddenly come sweep her off her feet.

But time had inched on, and nothing from her dreams had ever happened. Things had decidedly stayed just the same, with her sitting at her usual table with her team and Gajeel so far away both in proximity and emotions. And she was tired of it.

Two Christmases had gone by since she'd discovered this warmth inside her heart for him. Two long achingly empty holidays without the chance to feel his arms around her, and she'd felt that loss as acutely as she had her own parents. She didn't think she could do it another year.

It was still two weeks before Christmas, and already the town was decked out as if it was Christmas Eve. Lights winked across the narrow streets, blinking a cheerful red and green and in some cases a stately silver. It was positively beautiful, trees lining each window, boughs hanging on door after door, and as if giving Fiore the final touch, soft flutters of snow had started coming down.

All throughout the town, people were smiling, laughing. They were all so happy, their cheeks flushed with glee, their eyes dancing merrily.

It should have been so lovely, and it would have been utterly perfect...if only Lucy didn't feel so alone. It had been like this for her since her feelings for Gajeel had surfaced, this overwhelming sense of sadness preying on her during what was supposed to be the most wonderful time of year. She wanted so badly to feel what she used to feel at Christmas, to be caught up in that infectious joy and peace, to laugh heartily and belt out every verse to every Christmas song she knew...but it just wouldn't come.

And she knew it never would until she resolved this thing with Gajeel once and for all.

It was a frightening prospect, one that she'd considered before and then discarded just as quickly, but she didn't think she'd make it through one more year like the last. She wanted love and happiness. She wanted him.

But she knew she would never have him if she never took a chance. She'd never experience those strong arms pulling her into a hug or those deep red eyes looking down at her as if she was the only woman in all of Earthland if she couldn't drum up the courage to tell him how she felt. She couldn't keep expecting him to somehow read her mind.

So it was time to take a chance. It was time to find her strength and risk it all on this hope inside of her. This Christmas, she wasn't going to let fear stop her from going after what she wanted.

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><p>Gajeel left the sparkle of the town center with a sigh of relief. This time of year was always a bit too crazy for his taste, a little too much color, too many voices bombarding him everywhere he went. Most of the time, around Christmas, he stayed close to home, but he hadn't been able to avoid it today. And now, he was wishing he'd stocked up on enough groceries a month ago to last him through all this mess.<p>

It wasn't that he hated Christmas. If anything, it was one of the few holidays he actually liked. It would be a cold day in hell if he said that out loud, but it was the truth. There was something about that particular day and the weeks following up to it that made people better, softer somehow. People who wouldn't normally pay him any mind would greet him, smile at him, and to his great surprise, even try to engage him in conversation. It was the damnedest thing, and yet, it was nice.

Kind of reminded him of Fairy Tail to be honest and how they'd taken him in during his lowest point and shown him kindness, forgiveness. And that was precisely why he tried to make himself scarce this time of year.

He didn't want to think like that, to be reminded of kindness or forgiveness or softness. Because then, he'd have to think of her.

She seemed to be in his thoughts at every turn lately, especially now with snow drifting down around him. It was a reminder he didn't want of her pristine beauty, her bright smile, her expressive eyes. He had kept his distance for a reason, and even knowing his feelings were foolish, it was difficult.

Every time she walked through the guild door, his chest tightened, and he found it almost impossible to resist the urge to go to her. And when she laughed, it was like a punch to the gut. It was beginning to take everything he had to stay away, and that was why he'd started pulling away during the holidays.

He just couldn't take it anymore. He couldn't be around her, be with her in some small sense, and not _be_ with her. And that was never going to happen.

He was Gajeel Redfox. Former bad guy with a rap sheet as long as Santa's list. And somewhere down that hated list was his attack on her. How could he come back from that? How could he have done all those horrible things to her and then expect her to somehow find it within herself to love him?

Gajeel sighed deeply and shook his head. It was pointless and depressing as hell, just like it always was because out of all the women he could have fallen in love with, why did it have to be her? Why did it have to be the one woman he could never have?

But then again, he didn't have a damn clue how any man stood a chance against her. The woman was...everything. She was beautiful, an angel both inside and out with a heart as big as the whole of Fiore, maybe even all of Earthland. She embodied everything good and decent in the world, and strong. He'd never known anyone stronger in will than her. Even with the odds stacked against her, her determination didn't falter.

And he'd tried to destroy all that. He hadn't had a prayer of succeeding, but he hadn't known that at the time and he'd hurt her. And that haunted him every time their eyes met.

The fact was she wasn't for him. She was too good, too sweet, too goddamn perfect for fuck-up like him. And he could bet she was sweet. Somehow, he was sure she would taste like heaven, and there wasn't a man alive that would relish the chance to kiss her lips as much as him, but it wasn't to be. It couldn't be because as much as he wished it was different, she couldn't love him.

And that meant he'd just have to find a way to get through Christmas, swallowing down the waves of loneliness each year brought. Because she was it for him. As painful a thought as it was, he'd rather spend the rest of his life alone than spend it with anyone other than her.

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><p>Two hours and nearly ten outfits later, Lucy nodded her head at her reflection. This was it, the outfit she would wear when she opened her heart to him. She'd debated over this decision, and she'd known on one hand that she was procrastinating, but there was something more to her choice than simple style. She'd wanted something daring, something that was a reflection of how she felt, and she'd gone through nearly every Christmas color possible.<p>

Blue had tanked her spirits, reminding her of all the time she'd spent alone during the holidays. Green made her think of money for some reason, and she'd smiled sadly when the thought occurred to her that he was the one gift no one could buy her. The worst though was silver. It had brought to mind all the sprigs of mistletoe Mira had put up throughout the guild, each adorned with little silver bows, and each a glaring reminder that they were only for couples.

Now though, wrapped in a red dress she'd never worn before, she felt brave. She felt ready. She glanced down once more, touching the low-cut front, then smoothing her hands down the silky material flaring out at her hips. It was both daring and understated at the same time with its knee-length hemline but tight bodice, and it fit her mood perfectly, a perfect representation of her emotions, wild and free and yet also steady and strong.

Taking a deep breath, she reached for her cloak, the perfect companion to her dress, red the color of his eyes, with white trim as pure as the love that ran through her entire being. She closed her eyes, offering up a silent prayer before she tugged her hood up and reached for the door.

She made it there in far too few minutes, and suddenly she didn't quite feel so ready. All at once, the words that she'd practiced relentlessly, memorized from the countless letters she'd written him and not sent, were just gone. All that work, all her preparing had abandoned her, and she was left feeling fragile and scared once more.

Her lip trembled, and she nearly turned around to go back home when she remembered all those nights she'd wished for him, all the moments she'd longed to tell him the truth about her feelings, and then she couldn't do it. She couldn't go back to that. Somehow, she had to try.

Lucy looked up at his house and blew out a puff of air, then squared her shoulders.

"I can do this."

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><p>The snow crunched quietly beneath his feet as he turned the corner to his house. His head down, it took him a moment to realize he was no longer alone, but once he caught the sound of her voice and the enchanting aroma that was her scent, he came to a complete stop. He didn't know what to do, how to react to finding her in front of his house.<p>

But...but what was she doing?

He stood there dumbfounded as he observed her walking back and forth, pacing through the snow and mumbling to herself as she waved her arms about. Was she upset about something? And what was she saying?

He tipped his head, hoping it would help him pick up the words she was muttering. In only moments, he was even more confused than before.

"It's just Gajeel. Why am I so nervous?" She paused in both her movement and her speech, and then resumed just as abruptly. "Well that's a stupid question. Why wouldn't I be nervous?"

Gajeel watched in rapt fascination as she continued to converse with herself, and found himself becoming even more enamored with her than before.

"But really...what am I afraid of? It's not like he's going to toss me out on my ass...Well I suppose he might do that."

She stopped again, her profile showing her gnawing at her lower lip, but Gajeel couldn't enjoy the cute little habit. Her words had sent his heart dropping right into his stomach. Was she saying she was afraid of him? His chest tightened painfully at the thought, and he nearly cursed when she started up again.

"I'm being stupid. Gajeel wouldn't do that."

She nodded as if she'd settled some inner debate, then looked up at his house and began pacing again. But Gajeel was so frozen at her admission that he almost missed her next part.

"Oh, my stomach is in knots. Why am I doing this again?" She sighed and pressed her hands together as she glanced once more at his house. "Because I don't want to be alone anymore."

His brows furrowed at her explanation. What was she talking about? Alone? Lucy had to be the most 'un-alone' person he'd ever met. Everyone wanted to be near her, and from what he'd heard around the guild hall, her team was always breaking into her house to be with her. But the question that really struck him was why was she doing this at his place?

Before he could think too hard on it, Lucy was shuffling again, her pace becoming more agitated as she went.

"Mavis, this is ridiculous. I'll just say it. I'll just walk up to the door, and when he answers, I'll say, 'Gajeel, I love you.' I can do that."

Gajeel's heart stopped. It was the only explanation for the way the world stilled around him. It was like everything in that moment stopped, everything but the woman in front of him saying the words he'd ached to hear for so long.

Lucy cursed, throwing her hands up in the air. "Oh spirits, I can't just throw it out like that. That's too abrupt. What if he thinks I'm joking?" Her face blanched, and she quickly shook her head. "Okay no. I can...um...Oh Mavis, I'm in trouble."

Behind her, Gajeel couldn't help but grin, his heart lighter than it had ever been. He'd never imagined a day where he would get everything he'd ever wanted, and now that it was here, he didn't have a clue what to do next. Should he stop her? Let her figure things out first?

"Why is this so hard? Why couldn't he be the one doing this?"

Gajeel almost laughed at her frustration. If only she knew how many times he'd had a similar conversation with himself. He shook his head at the pair of them and took a step forward. He couldn't let her keep doing this to herself, and to be honest, he couldn't wait any longer.

And he'd almost made it to her when Lucy did something that stunned him. It had him jerking to a stop, his jaw dropping and his eyebrow winging up in surprise.

"Goddamn it!" she snapped, stomping her foot. "I didn't come all this way to chicken out. I love that big oaf, and I'm gonna tell him if it's the last damn thing I do!"

Gajeel couldn't help it. He'd never seen anything so damn adorable in his life, and with the giddiness of her confession still climbing its way up his throat, he laughed. In hindsight, it probably wasn't the best way to announce his presence, especially since it could very well make her think he was laughing at her.

Lucy jumped at the sudden sound, her face going pale as she whipped around to find Gajeel standing a scant two feet from her. His face was aglow with mirth, and it took her several long seconds to realize that she had in fact, just inadvertently confessed to him.

...and he was laughing.

Suddenly, Lucy realized she'd miscalculated. She'd considered him gently letting her down, gruffly telling her he didn't feel the same way, and crabbily sending her on her way. But she'd never once entertained the thought that he'd find the idea funny.

All at once, her eyes filled, and her feet, getting the signal to haul ass, alighted from her spot in front of him with speed she hadn't known she possessed. All she could think of was getting home, getting as far away from this place as possible and crying her way through the night, but before she could make her escape, the quick little bastard had her in his grasp, pulling her to a stop.

She couldn't look at him, refused to do so. She couldn't handle seeing the amusement there again. It would destroy her.

"Lucy..."

He said her name. Not Bunny Girl or any of the other crazy things he'd called her over the years. He said her name, and it made her want to sob. She'd longed to hear her name pass his lips, and now he was saying it, but not out of love or affection. It cut her deep to hear the regret in his voice. Why wouldn't he just let her go?

Gajeel sighed as he scented the tears coursing down her cheeks. He felt like an ass. Sure as shit, his ill-timed laugh had hurt her, and it killed him to know he'd made her cry. Trust him to ruin a moment.

He reached for her and barely managed to grab her before she bolted like a frightened deer, but she refused to look at him. It hit him with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer that he'd already fucked up, and they weren't even together yet. How the hell was he supposed to fix this? He didn't know a damn thing about relationships.

He wasn't a talker. He didn't have the words to tell her how he felt, and yet he had to. This woman had done what he couldn't. She'd braved her fears and doubts and come to him. How could he do any less? How could he stand there and deny her everything he had to give?

His hand trembling, Gajeel touched her face. He bit back a curse when she flinched, but he didn't pull back. He didn't think he'd ever be able to pull away from her again now that he knew how she felt. Keeping his touch light, he cupped her cheek and gently lifted her head.

She resisted as he knew she would, and he understood. He'd hurt her, made her feel insignificant to him, and he had to change that. He had to show her how much he loved her.

Lucy didn't know what was going on, why he was touching her so softly. It was almost reverent, but that couldn't be. It was just her foolish heart playing tricks on her again.

A sob slipped up from her throat, and she fought him. She didn't want to look at him right now. She couldn't because she was so afraid if she did, if she saw that face she loved so much, she'd really start crying and she'd never stop.

But he was insistent. Gentle, but insistent, and when he called her name a second time, she found she couldn't deny him. Even now, with the memory of his laugh so fresh in her mind, she couldn't tell him no.

Her head lifted, and just like she'd known it would, seeing his face sent waves of agony coursing through her body and before she could stop the flow, her eyes erupted. She felt like such a fool.

"Please let me go..."

Her whispered words cut through him with the force of an axe, and he couldn't help but wince at the pain so clear on her face. "Lucy, I...I didn't mean to hurt you."

She turned away, and Gajeel closed his eyes and pleaded with whatever God would still listen to him that he could make this all right again. He lifted her head again, and before she could pull back, he forced her to meet his eyes.

"Listen to me. Please." He watched her blink, trying to staunch her tears, and he couldn't help brushing his thumb over her wet cheek, wishing he could erase the hurt from her eyes just as easily. But he knew that could only come with the truth.

He swallowed hard at the thought of telling her how he felt, his fears of not being enough for her rising up once more. His stomach was roiling, all but threatening to shoot up his throat, but somehow he had to say it. He couldn't let her leave here thinking he didn't care.

"I'm not like you, Lucy. I'm not brave. I..." The words failed him. He didn't know where to start, how to explain to her how he felt.

Lucy's brow creased at his words, and in spite of herself, she asked, "What?" She didn't understand what he was talking about. He was one of the bravest people she'd ever known. She'd seen him fight, watched him face unbelievable odds and come out on top. But more than that, she couldn't see why he'd called her brave.

He shook his head, forcing the words past his lips. "Lucy, you're this...this light, and people see it and they can't help but want to come closer. I'm dark. I've always been that way, and people have always run in the other direction." He drew in a shaky breath. "I never thought someone like you could love me. Hell, I never thought _anyone_ could love me, but you? You're my impossible dream."

Lucy stared up at him in disbelief. Had he actually said that? She was his impossible dream?

"I didn't mean to laugh at you," he said, his lips lifting just a bit at the memory of her tirade. "You just looked so fucking cute stomping your foot like that."

Try though she might, Lucy couldn't get her tongue to work. Everything was pointing to Gajeel having real feelings for her, maybe even the same kind she had for him, and yet she couldn't force her mouth to work. She wanted to tell him it was okay, make him repeat the impossible dream line again, but more than anything she wanted to ask if he loved her.

But she couldn't bring herself to do it. In spite of all her big talk earlier, she really was nothing but a chicken. She was too frightened to take a chance after what had just happened.

Gajeel could see the indecision in her eyes, and he got it. He'd earned that look, and as much as he hated seeing it there, he couldn't fault her for being cautious. He'd just have to be the brave one this time around. It was his turn to risk himself for her.

"I...Lucy, I... Damn, you were right. This is hard," he muttered, earning a questioning look from Lucy.

There was hope there still. It was almost completely hidden beneath the fear of rejection, but he could see it there. And it gave him strength, gave him the courage to say the words he'd believed would remain locked inside his heart forever.

"I...goddamn it, Lucy. I love you."

It had to be the most forceful confession ever uttered in the history of the world, but the words were like music to Lucy's ears, and before she could stop herself, her joy burst from her mouth.

She clung to his coat as she laughed, her head tipped back and her voice trilling to the heavens, and Gajeel couldn't help the chuckle that skipped its way up from his chest to join her. He didn't care that she was laughing at him. He was just so damn happy she wasn't crying anymore, and more than that, she was touching him. Well, almost.

Lucy felt so light, so free, like she hadn't in such a long time, and as her laughs quieted, she found herself staring up into a pair of mesmerizing crimson eyes. In that moment, time stood still, everything around them falling silent, fading away into the background until it was just the two of them in this beautiful wonderland.

He didn't think he'd ever seen anything more beautiful in his life than the sight of her looking up at him like he was everything she'd ever wanted. It was humbling, and it proved more than his fragile control could take. His hand slid from her face to the back of her neck, pulling her forward until their noses touched, and then he pressed a light kiss to her mouth. He pulled back only a fraction to brush the hair from her face, and then he leaned in again, taking her lips in the kiss he'd dreamed of for the last three years.

Lucy sank into his kiss, giving herself to him heart, body, and soul, and let the feel of him convince her it was all real. He was the one thing she'd never let herself believe she could have, and now that her dream had become reality, she could barely keep her feet on the ground. He loved her. He really loved her.

It was almost unbelievable, far too incredible to fathom, and yet it was somehow true. They were together. After all the time spent apart, the sleepless night, the days that stretched on without end, they were together. It felt like a miracle...like the one she'd prayed for before leaving the house that very day.

She pulled back with a smile, her eyes fluttering open to see Gajeel gazing back down at her just as intently.

"I never thought this would happen."

He shook his head, a look of amazement crossing his face just before he leaned in again. He couldn't stay away. Now that he'd tasted her, that he'd touched her, he couldn't keep from doing it again and again. She was his own personal heaven, an angel wrapped in red and bringing him all the Christmas cheer he would ever require.

She was the answer to his prayers, and as the snow fell like blessings from the sky, he offered up his silent thanks.

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><p><em><strong>AN: Wow that was sappy, even for me. lol But I loved writing every word. And I know Gajeel might seem a bit OOC, but I figure he's a man who's waited a long time for love, and now that he's found it, how could he not be grateful? How would he not be different? **_

_**Anyway, leave me your thoughts, tell me your woes. Anything goes. Just love hearing from you guys!**_


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